I am talking about US oligarchy.
US people (on a personal level) are just like other people of the world: Most of them are good, some less that. And they themselves suffer from many problems the US oligarchy (through imperial means) causes outside of the US.
Daughters and sons who go to US military, they are patriots who want to serve their country and its people. But then they are sent to wars for resources, pipeline routes, geostrategic interests. And they come back in body bags, maimed, or suffer some physical or psychical ailment. Only to find out that their father has lost his job, or that their mother's insurance won't cover the costs for her treatment, or that no one cares for her/him (the former soldier).
Where ever I go in the world, I remind people that we all are in the same boat.
The parent comment is valid when taking about the 'US oligarchy' too.
A super power like the Roman empire would have won the Afghanistan war for sure. But in a different way.
You would know this, how? Look at the butchery in Syria and tell me how people respond to genocidal despots.
By the way, the losses of the US in the Vietnam war were minimal too. They lost 60.000 People. In the 10 years or what, I assume they lost more people in traffic accidents and suicides. Just to put numbers a little bit into perspective.
I think we can agree the US often acts like a douchebag and that it has a lot of passionate haters, but the fact is that there are not that many great countries in the world.
It's true that the US is not number #1 in a lot areas and I really believe that's a good thing. The whole world should improve, not just the US. Inequality is at the root of a lot of evil in this world.
[0] http://www.pewglobal.org/2015/06/23/1-americas-global-image/